1. Field
This disclosure is generally related to a separation column and in particular to a microfluidic separation column.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, flash column chromatography is an existing separation and/or a purification technique for use in synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry laboratories for isolating newly-synthesized materials. Generally, a column is filled with silica or a similar solid (a solid adsorbent), to create a “stationary phase.” Such a column is termed a “packed column.” A liquid is added to a top end of the column to create a “mobile phase.” The mixture of chemicals to be separated is subsequently introduced under a pressure into the top end of the column where an equilibrium is established between a solute adsorbed and a solvent eluted flowing down the column.
Generally, in column chromatography, molecules travel under gravity through a gel (as the stationary phase) and a solvent (as the mobile phase). The solvent is one in which the materials to be separated are miscible. Different solutes will flow at different speeds, allowing for the solutes to be separated.
A chromatographic separation process is based on the difference in the surface interactions of a chemical to be analyzed and eluent molecules. A molecule with a stronger surface interaction will “sit” on the adsorbent for a longer time, will move slower, and thus get separated from another material having a weaker surface interaction which is therefore moving faster.
Existing apparatus and techniques only work with large quantities of chemicals to be separated and large volumes of liquids functioning as the mobile phase.